Frida ktjnz



(No Model.) I

' F. KU-N Z.

PROCESS OEAND APPARATUS FOR PREPARING FIBER FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BRUSHES AND BROOMS.

No. 295, 1, Patented Mar. 11., L884; 5?? I v o IMH l I] 1%? J J o o o HCEIH G] h I STATES PATENT FRIDA KUNZ, or nonaunscnmenn, GERMANY.

PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR PREPARING FIBER EOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BRUSHES AND BROOMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 295,021, dated March 11, 1884.

\ Application filed August 22,1883. (No model.)

To an wit/0777, it IN/{Ly concern:

Be it known that I, FRIDA KUNZ, a citizen of Germany, residing at Donaueschingen, Germany,. have invented new and useful Improvements in the Process of and Apparatus for Preparing Fiber for the Manufacture of Brushes and Brooms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in the process-of and apparatus for preparing fibers to be made into brushes and brooms,

and has for its object to render the fiber of the cocoanut elastic and similar to ordinary bristles. This I accomplish in the manner and by the mcans hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a front'elevation of my machine; Fig. 2, a side elevation; Fig. 3, a plan view; Fig. 4., a side elevation of one of the rolls partly broken away; Fig. 5, a central longitudinal section of the same, taken through the line A D B, Fig. 6; and Fig. 6, a crosssection of the same.

i The cocoanut fiber, in its natural state, is of a rough and brittlecharacter,totally unfit for the manufacture of brushes and brooms. In order to prepare it for such purposes, I subject it to the act-ion of revolving rolls armed with teeth, bristles, and wires, and heated by steam ,whereby the fibers are smoothed, pointed, and polished I then thoroughly grease them with lard or similar grease to render the fibers elastic, after which they are ready to be made up into brushes andbrocms in any of the usual and ordinary ways. I

Referring to the drawings, a indicates a frame-work of any suitable construction, and preferably of iron. I) 1) indicate hollow rolls journaled in suitable journal boxes, said journal-boxes being connected with steam-pipes I), or in any of the well-known ways ordinarily employed in steam-heated rolls, and provided with suitable means for rotating the same. The rolls, in the present instance, are three in number, and are journalcd in close proximity to each other. The said rolls, upon their peripheries, are provided with circumferential'ribs and grooves c, and each roll is provided with four (more or less) recesses or pockets extending its entire length, in which are alternately secured brushes (Z d, composed of ordinary bristles, and e c, composed of wires, as fully shown in Fig. 6. over one pair of said rolls is secured a clamping device, f, consisting of two plates secured together by a set-screw, between which plates the fibers to be treated are secured. clamping device is made vertically adjustable, so that the fibers may be properly presented to the rolls. Immediately under the other pair of rolls is similarly secured alike clamp, f.

The operation of my machine is as follows: The cocoa fibers to be treated are secured in the clamps ff, and the clamps so adjusted as to present the ends of the fibers to the rolls, as shown in Fig. 2. The rolls are heated by steam, as before described, and are rapidly rotated by any suitable power. As the-heated rolls rotate, the fibers are smoothed out by the ribbed portion 0 c of the rolls, the wire brushes 0 6 comb out and point the fibers, and the bristles d d polish the same. The rolls impart heat to the cocoa fibers and set free the oil contained therein, faeilitating the operation. The fibers are now removed from the clamps f f and are reversed-that is to say, the ends just treated are placed in the clamps and the untreated ends presented to the action of the rolls. After both ends of thefibers have been properly smoothed, pointed, and polished, the fibers are treated with lard or other suitable grease. The fibers are now out in two at their middle, thus making two bristles out of each, said bristlesbeing employed in the manufacture of brooms, brushes, and similar articles.

I have shown three rolls and two clamps for holding the fibers; but it will be apparent that the number of rolls and clamps may be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention. In lieu' of the circumferential ribs upon the peripheries of the rolls, I may use teeth of wire or similar material.

\Vhat I claim is 1. The process of preparing cocoa fiber to be used in the manufacture of brushes, consisting in subjecting their ends to the action of heated rolls provided with circumferential ribs, and brushes of bristles and wires, and then greasing the same, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the frame an, hav- Immediately This I 3. The combination, with the frame are, hm ing journaled therein the steam-heated rolls I) b, said rolls being provided with circumferential ribs 0, brushes 0, and wire brushes d,

IO of the vertically-adjustable clamps ff, all

constructed and arranged substantially as shown and described, and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing 1'5 witnesses.

FRIDA KUNZ. Vi tnesses EDWARD RETTICK, C. L. Jtn. BATJMANN. 

